It was standing room only in Ilkley Baptist Church for the annual Concert for the Street Children on Sunday, December 23.

The Choral Scholars & Choristers, Northern Youth and Friends, directed by James Griffett, were in particularly fine form, showing the young singers’ wealth of talent.

It is always a magical opening, with voices heard outside the hall, before processing in with Perspice Christicula, to the well-known tune of ‘Sumer is icumin in’, followed by a group of medieval carols, including The Boar’s Head with drum accompaniment.

The group’s trademark ‘Haec Dies’ by Colin Mawby, for high voices, absolutely radiated and received a huge ovation, not least for pianist Alison Davies.

After more adventurous repertoire, there was space for the simple purity of the eight youngest, singing in unison, before the final group of traditional carols.

With excellent soloists too many to name, special mention must go to John Dereix, soloist in the always popular ‘The Three Kings’, before the resounding ‘Personent Hodie’ to end a truly memorable concert.

There will be a DVD of the concert available to raise further funds.

The charities already benefiting from the £650 raised are The Esther Benjamins Trust in India, The Friendship Foundation in Romania and the Baptist Church’s own fund for St Joseph’s Orphange in Haiti.

Amanda Greaves